System and method for the distribution and use of presence

ABSTRACT

A system and method are provided for automating the implementing and use of presence information in a network and/or for automatically selecting the most efficient means for sending a message. In an embodiment of the system, presence information is transmitted to a presence server. The presence server then ascertains presence information for the entries in a user&#39;s network address book after a user&#39;s device provides presence information about the user to the presence server. This presence information can then used to determine whether a message is to be sent through session based messaging (if presence information indicates that a message recipient is available) or immediate messaging (if the other user is not available or no presence information is available). A system and method is also provided to automatically send the message using an efficient protocol.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/038,500, filed Mar. 21, 2008, entitled “System and Method for aNetwork Address Book Service” and U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/036,500, filed Mar. 14, 2008, entitled “System and Method forEnhanced Messaging,” each of which is herein incorporated by referencein its entirety.

COPYRIGHT AND LEGAL NOTICES

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightswhatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of cellular communications systems has increased substantiallyover the last decade. As the use of these systems has increased, so hasthe demand for additional features, such as text, chat, and multimediamessaging. Some of the features currently available on cellularcommunications systems are inefficient or non-intuitive, requiring auser to invest needless time and effort in either using or learning howto use a certain feature.

For example, while current technology allows users to obtain presenceinformation over cellular communications systems, such as whether aspecific device or user is available to communicate with another user,this technology is cumbersome and often requires a user to independentlyinput information identifying the devices used by others for whichpresence information is sought. This independently inputted informationis then uploaded from the user's device to another server typicallycalled a Resource List Server, which then independently stores a list ofusers for whom presence information is sought. Independently subscribingto presence information for each potential communication partner througha user device and then relaying this information to another server isinefficient, both time and resource wise, and may be difficult for theuser. The time consuming process of first learning how to input thisinformation into a device, then actually inputting the information, anduploading it to a separate server, has impeded use of this feature.Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method forautomating the implementation and use of presence information incellular communications systems.

Furthermore, while current cellular technology allows users to sendvarious types of messages, such as text, picture, and multimediamessages, in additional to traditional aural communications, currentsystems require an a priori selection of the transmission method ofthese communications, resulting in user confusion and inefficient use ofsystem resources. For example, if a cellular communications system userwants to send a brief text message to another user, the user mustidentify the message as such before it is sent so that it can be sentvia SMS (Short Messaging Service). On the other hand if a user wants tosend a picture to another user, the user must identify the message as amultimedia message so that it can be sent via MMS (Multimedia MessagingService), and so on. Placing the burden on the user to select theappropriate delivery method can cause confusion, especially with aninexperienced user of the technology, and results in inefficiencies ifthe user selects an inappropriate method, or if the user has toregularly or repeatedly switch different delivery services. Accordingly,these limitations have impaired use of these alternative types ofcommunication. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system andmethod for automating the selection of the delivery method of varioustypes of communications transmitted over cellular communicationssystems, especially as the number of message delivery means keepsincreasing over time. The automated selection of the delivery method ofvarious types of communications can then be integrated with the systemand method for automating the implementation and use of presenceinformation to select the most efficient delivery method based in parton the current presence status of another user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention enhances the overall efficiencyand functionality of the user experience with communication systems byintroducing additional presence attributes, and common composer andmessage threading features to communications systems. An embodiment ofthe present invention provides capability for a user to interact withcellular communications systems through other methods of communication,such as a computer or other device, while still using much of the samefunctionality, including presence attributes, and common composer andmessage threading features.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method fordynamic updating of presence information in a communications system.Presence information is communicated by a first device to a server,e.g., a presence server and/or a server associated with a networkaddress book of the entity associated with the first device. Thepresence server or other server receives the presence information anddetermines whether there are any subscribers of the presence informationof the entity. The subscribers are informed about the received presenceinformation and/or presence information is obtained about thesubscribers by the presence server. In determining the subscribers,information from a network address book associated with the presenceinformation sent by the first device is reviewed. In a furtherembodiment, the presence information is synchronized by the first devicewith the network address book before communicating the presenceinformation to the presence server. In an embodiment, the networkaddress book is stored on a network address book server.

In an embodiment, the synchronization occurs via syncML DS. In anembodiment, the presence information is transmitted via SIP. In anembodiment, the presence server accesses information in the networkaddress book using XCAP through XDMS. In an embodiment, the first deviceregisters to IMS before communicating the presence information to thepresence server. In an embodiment, the presence information provided bythe first device is updated on at least one of: an immediate basis,periodic interval, intermittent interval, and manual request. In anembodiment, the presence information of the at least one subscriber isupdated on at least one of: an immediate basis, periodic interval,intermittent interval, and manual request. In an embodiment, a databaseof the first device is updated on any changes to the presenceinformation of the at least one subscriber on at least one of: animmediate basis, periodic interval, intermittent interval, and manualrequest. In an embodiment, the first device is a mobile telephone. In anembodiment, the updated presence information is viewable via a seconddevice associated with the same user as the first device. In anembodiment, the updated presence information is viewable via theInternet. In an embodiment, only the presence information of one entityis transmitted to the network address book and the presence server.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method fordynamic communication of presence information in a communicationssystem, including: a communications device, the communications deviceconfigured to transmit presence information of an entity to a presenceserver; a second server, the second server configured to extractinformation from a network address book and to transmit certaininformation based on the extracted information upon request by thepresence server, wherein the communications device communicates via asynchronization protocol with the presence server. In an embodiment, thepresence server provides updated presence information to any authorizedentities, the extracted information indicating which entities areauthorized. In an embodiment, the updated presence information isviewable via a second device having a same authorization to viewpresence information as the first device. In an embodiment, the presenceinformation provided by the first device is updated on at least one of:an immediate basis, periodic interval, intermittent interval, and manualrequest. In an embodiment, the presence information of the at least onesubscriber is updated on at least one of: an immediate basis, periodicinterval, intermittent interval, and manual request. In an embodiment, adatabase of the first device is updated on any changes to the presenceinformation of the at least one subscriber on at least one of: animmediate basis, periodic interval, intermittent interval, and manualrequest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 shows an example network address book table according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an example message delivery according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an example messaging system according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an example session based messaging system according to anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description provides specific details for a thoroughunderstanding of, and enabling description for, various embodiments ofthe technology. One skilled in the art will understand that thetechnology may be practiced without many of these details. In someinstances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown ordescribed in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description ofthe embodiments of the technology. It is intended that the terminologyused in the description presented below be interpreted in its broadestreasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with adetailed description of certain embodiments of the technology. Althoughcertain terms may be emphasized below, any terminology intended to beinterpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specificallydefined as such in this Detailed Description section.

Standards such as 3GPP and OMA, define “presence” as a service enablerthat support services based on functionality including collecting anddisseminating different types of presence information to different typesof entities. Different types of presence information can be anythingfrom user's availability, user updated icon or text, type of handsetcapabilities, etc. Different types of entities could be users thatprovide presence related information about themselves (similar to“buddies” used in common IM service provide), or could be a value addedservice such as a weather service entity that disseminates weatherinformation.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment for an enhanced messaging system automatingthe implementation and use of presence information in cellularcommunications systems. An Enhanced Messaging system is a system fortransmitting information in communication systems which automates theinformation sharing process to facilitate the user's ability to quicklyshare information. Presence Information includes any information in anyform, audible, visual, or otherwise, capable of informing a secondentity about the first entity or the device being used by the firstentity. A Presence Server is a system capable of accessing, updating,storing, and publishing Presence Information.

In an embodiment described in FIG. 1, the Publisher 110 and the Watcher120 are both devices operated by users of the communication systems.Although the devices pictured in FIG. 1 representing the Publisher 110and the Watcher 120 are both cell phones, these pictures are forillustrative purposes only. These devices may be replaced by any devicecapable of processing and transmitting information. In an embodiment,the communications systems may be configured in such a way that it ispossible for the system to discern at some level when users of devices,such as the Publisher 110 and the Watcher 120, are available and hence“present” in order for the automated aspect of the presence system tofunction. For example, in an embodiment, hardware or software is usedeither on the user's device or incorporated as part of thecommunications systems that can identify whether a particular user'sdevice is “on” or “off” or whether the user's device is connected to thecommunications system or whether the user's device is or has recentlysent or received any information. In an embodiment, the presencemechanism itself can effect the same function. For example, the presencemechanism informs a first device that a second device is available, andthen passes to the second device the presence attributes values. In FIG.1, for example, the publisher is using a sync session to NAB in order topass all the presence information changes. Then, in this embodiment, NAB“publishes” or transmits the information on behalf of the user to thepresence server. For example, the presence server's duty is to notifyall the watchers about changes in the publisher presence information.The presence server's duty to do such may be that which is mandated by aknown standard. In an embodiment of the present invention, the NABpublishes information on behalf of a user, and syncML is used to syncthe information to NAB to facilitate the event. The NAB includespublisher contact(s) details. In an embodiment, a user may publish via amobile phone or other transmitting device such as a PC client. In anembodiment, a user may publish via the Internet or other network. In anembodiment of the present invention, the attributes of an account are“in sync” regardless of which device is used to publish and laterdisplay the attributes. For example, information is transmitted orpublished by a mobile phone or other device, and later can be viewed viathe Internet using a computer or other device. This is a vastimprovement over existing systems which do not allow for such syncing,among other features of the present invention.

A Network Address Book (“NAB”) Server is a system capable of accessing,modifying, and storing an Address Book primarily residing remotely in auser's device (e.g. mobile phone). A Network Address Book is a list ofinformation obtained from or about a user or a user's activitiesrelating to the identification of other entities or devices potentiallyused by the entities with whom the user may communicate that is notentered by the user solely for the purpose of obtaining presenceinformation. The NAB Server 160 embodied in FIG. 1, for example, whenviewed in conjunction with Data Persistence 180 and User Data Storage190, would correspond to a computer system capable of accessing,modifying and storing what is commonly referred to as a user'selectronic address book. Although the embodiment in FIG. 1 shows an NABServer 160 connected to Data Persistence 180 and User Data Storage 190,such specific interconnectivity is not required. In an embodiment, aNetwork Address Book is stored independently of any particular devicesuch that the information in the Network Address Book can be accessed atany time through various means. In the context of a cellular phone user,an example of an Network Address Book could be the cellular phone user'saddress book, which typically contains a list of names and contactinformation, such as cellular phone numbers, for those with whom theuser communicates, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2. Although anelectronic address book is one example of an Network Address Book, otherlists, such as a list of incoming and outgoing telephone numbers on acellular phone can also constitute a Network Address Book. In theembodiment described in FIG. 1, for example, the cellular telephonenumbers of individuals listed in the General Phonebook Section 210 of acell phone user's address book would provide sufficient information toidentify the cellular phone devices used by each of those individuals.Thus, if the Publisher 110 has the Watcher's 120 cellular phone numberstored in the Publisher's 110 General Phonebook Section 210, and theWatcher 120 also has the Publisher's 110 cellular phone number similarlystored, then this information can be extracted from the Publisher's 110Network Address Book to identify the Watcher's 120 device and viceversa. In an embodiment, the Publisher and the Watcher can be the sameentity via one or more devices.

The synchronization session between the NAB Server 160 and the user'sdevice, such as the Publisher 110 or the Watcher 120, which can occurthrough a Synchronization Markup Language Data Synchronization (SyncMLDS) session, ensures that any particular device being used is able toaccess the most recent information contained in a user's Network AddressBook. Use of the SyncML DS session is more efficient than XMLConfiguration Access Protocol (XCAP) and also obviates the need for XCAPcapabilities in phones implementing presence. Although dynamicsynchronization is not required for the present invention, it is anembodiment of the present invention which minimizes the risk ofconfusing the user with inconsistent and possible conflicting addressbook information if, for example, a user obtains a replacement devicewith an empty local address book. In an embodiment, the user's devicewill then register to the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)and start the presence client through a Presence Server 133 to beginsending and receiving Presence Information. IMS uses IP MultimediaServices Identity Module (ISIM), which runs on a smart card and includesparameters for identifying and authenticating a user to IMS Similarly,the device can be programmed to notify the Presence Server 133 ofcertain conditions that may impair the sending or receiving ofcommunications, such as when the user turns off or suspends the device,the device's battery is running low, and cellular phone signal strengthis minimal, so that the Presence Server 133 can update others of theuser's change in presence status, such as “offline” or “unavailable.” Itis also possible for the device to register or de-register with IMS orother subsystems performing a similar function at any time, irrespectiveof when or if synchronization with the NAB Server 160 occurs.

In an embodiment, syncML is used to sync up a specific contact whichincludes the publisher's presence values. For example, the specificcontact is labeled “myself” and contains the specific presence values ofthe user who is publishing the information. In this embodiment, oneefficiently transmits the user's or publisher's presence informationfrom the mobile phone or other device to NAB instead of doing a sync viasyncML or other mode for all contacts and XCAP (XML Configuration AccessProtocol) for the user's presence.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, communications between the user'sdevice, such as the Publisher 110 or the Watcher 120, and the PresenceServer 133, occur through the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)following SIP SIMPLE 1.0, though the invention can be used with anyother protocol capable of the same functionality. When a user's devicefirst registers with the Presence Server 133 after being turned on, thePresence Server 133 automatically begins accessing the informationcontained in the user's Network Address Book and also begins publishingthis particular user as being “online” or “available,” absent anyspecific instructions from the user to the contrary. In an embodiment,the Presence Server 133 can access and retrieve information from theuser's network address book through an XDMS 140 (XML Data ManagementServer) via XCAP. The XDMS 140 accesses the user's network address bookstored in User Data Storage 190 through an XML Mapper 186.

Once the Presence Server 133 is able to access information contained inthe user's Network Address Book, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2,the Presence Server 133 uses that information to ascertain presenceinformation about the individuals listed in the user's Network AddressBook. For example, in a cellular communications system, the PresenceServer 133 can check for presence information on other individualslisted in a Network Address Book based on the cellular telephone numbersfor each of those individuals listed in the General Phonebook Section210. Once the Presence Server 133 has determined what type of presenceinformation is available for each of the individuals listed in a user'sNetwork Address Book, the Presence Server 133 is able to sendnotifications to the user's device of the current status of each of theindividuals listed in the user's Network Address Book. For example, theuser could be notified through the Presence Server 133 of whether eachof the individuals listed in the Network Address Book is “available”,“unavailable”, or the individuals status is “unknown” because nopresence information is available for that specific individual. As thePresence Server 133 is updated with new presence information, thePresence Server 133 is able to send updates to the user's device so thatthe user has automatically updated presence information, though it isalso possible to configure the system to disable automatic updates tothe user and only have presence information updated at the specificrequest of the user, or updates at specific times and/or intervals, oranother.

To minimize unnecessary communication with the Presence Server 133, itis also possible to program the NAB Server 160 to pre-screen a user'sNetwork Address Book and only transmit a list of entities to thePresence Server 133 for which presence information is actuallyascertainable and/or determined desirable. For example, a NetworkAddress Book could keep track of the types of devices used by orregistered to each user so that only those devices capable oftransmitting Presence Information to the Presence Server 133 arecommunicated with at later dates.

As an additional means of ensuring widespread access, availability, andease of use of the invention, an embodiment can also includeinterconnectivity with other non-cellular systems connected to cellularcommunications systems. The embodiment in FIG. 1, for example, allowsusers to access, change, and view presence information through a UserInterface 170 indirectly connected to the communications system, such asthrough the Internet. However, a user is not necessarily required toaccess the User Interface 170 through the Internet; access to the UserInterface 170 can also occur through other means as long as there isadequate connectivity between the user and the User Interface 170. In anembodiment, a user connects to the User Interface 170 through anInternet website as opposed to a proprietary communications system ornetwork because of the relative ease of access and low cost associatedwith Internet access.

When the user initially connects to the user's account through the UserInterface 170, the connection can be registered to the Internet ProtocolMultimedia Subsystem (IMS), though such registration is not required,and the Presence User Agent 150 is initiated. The Presence User Agent150 is the primary interface between the User Interface and the presencesystem 170. The Presence User Agent 150 then informs the Presence Server133 of the user's status as “online” or “available” absent anyinstructions from the user to the contrary, such as if the user wantedtheir status to be displayed as “offline” or “unavailable” because theydid not want others to know that they were “available.”

The User Interface 170 can provide the user with the option of directlyaccessing, viewing, and changing certain information contained in theuser's Network Address Book, such as certain information in the GeneralPhonebook Section 210, myFaves® Section 230, or certain informationabout the user's presence in the Presence Section 270, through the NABServer 160. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 indicates that theinformation from the user's Network Address Book is obtained from UserData Storage 190 through a Relational Database Management SystemConnector, RDBMS Connector 183, to the NAB Server 160, such connectivityis not required as any method of communication that is able to permitthe user to access, change, and store information contained in theuser's Network Address Book through a User Interface 170 will suffice.In one embodiment, the Presence User Agent 150 is also able to accessthe information in the user's Network Address Book via the NAB Server160, as the information is being transmitted to, viewed, or changed bythe user through the User Interface 170. The Presence User Agent 150then sends pertinent information to the Presence Server 133, such thatthe Presence Server 133 can ascertain presence information about theindividuals listed in the user's Network Address Book. For example, in acellular communications system, the Presence Server 133 is informed ofpresence information on other individuals listed in a Network AddressBook based on the cellular telephone numbers for each of thoseindividuals. For example, a user publishes presence information to thePresence Server 133. Then, the Presence Server 133 checks itsinformation to determine who has a subscription to the publisher'spresence attributes. Once the Presence Server 133 determines who has asubscription to the publisher's presence attributes, the Presence Server133 then notifies those individuals of the changes. In an embodiment,the Presence Server 133 determines what type of presence information,e.g., subscriber of a certain type of certain users, is available foreach of the individuals listed in a user's Network Address Book, andthen sends notifications of the current status of each of theindividuals listed in the user's Network Address Book to the PresenceUser Agent 150, which in turn relays this information to the user viathe User Interface 170.

In an embodiment, once the user connects to their account through theUser Interface 170, presence information relating to individuals in auser's Network Address Book is obtained through a XML Data ManagementServer, XDMS 140, collocated with NAB Server 160, which can accesspertinent information in the user's network address book stored in UserData Storage 190 through a XML Mapper 186. XDMS 140 then transmits thisinformation via XML Configuration Access Protocol (XCAP) to the PresenceServer 133, which checks the current presence information for each ofthe relevant entries in the user's Network Address Book. The PresenceServer 133 then sends current presence information to the Presence UserAgent 150, which then presents the information to the user via the UserInterface 170. As the Presence Server 133 is updated with new presenceinformation, the Presence Server 133 transmits that updated informationto the Presence User Agent 150, which in turn updates the user throughthe User Interface 170. Collocating XDMS 140 with NAB Server 160increases reliability by using a unified database for all the datacontained in a user's Network Address Book, as shown in FIG. 1.

These embodiments illustrate a few of the exemplary methods by whichpresence information can be automatically and/or dynamically madeavailable to users without requiring the entry of additionalinformation; any means of interactive communication in which presenceinformation is automatically obtained for individuals listed in a user'sNetwork Address Book should suffice. Furthermore, although the automaticupdating of presence information after the user obtains the initial setof presence information for the individuals listed in the user's NetworkAddress Book is a desirable feature, such a feature is also notrequired. In fact, it is possible to configure the system to disable orlimit to specific intervals, or at the specific request of a user, anyautomatic updates to the user after the initial update; it is alsopossible, of course to limit or disable even the initial updating ofpresence information.

Aside from merely indicating the availability of a user, differentembodiments of the invention may allow for different types ofcustomization and personalization of the presence system. In differentembodiments, users can be permitted assign or associate variouspictures, icons, taglines, notes, comments, sounds, or videos with theirpresence information, which can change depending on the presence statusof the user. For example, a user could associate a picture of themselvesor a tagline with their presence information such that the user'spicture or tagline will appear in the presence or other section ofanother user's network address book who has the first user listed ascontact. The Presence Section 270 (e.g., see FIG. 2) is an example ofhow a customizable tagline and icon could appear in another usersNetwork Address Book. In an embodiment, each user is able to access andchange their own presence information, such as their tagline, presencephoto, and privacy settings in the Presence Section 270 of the rowmarked MyProfile. Storing the privacy settings in a simple field theuser's Network Address Book minimizes the need to use XCAP to send XMLrules documents to XDMS 140. In an embodiment, users may be allowed tochange or override another user's customization or personalization as itappears to that particular user. For example, if a user selected acustomized penguin icon as their Presence icon shown in the PresenceSection 270, then a second user would ordinarily see the penguin icon inthe Presence Section 270 of their Network Address Book entry for thefirst user, unless the second user opted to replace the penguin iconselected by the first user with another icon. In this case the other“replacement” icon would only appear in the second user's NetworkAddress Book; other users would see the penguin icon selected by thefirst user. To avoid confusion of which icon is to be displayed in thePresence Section 270, a Toggle Field can be added to the PresenceSection 270. The Toggle Field can keep track of whether the user haschanged some of the customizations made by the other users listed intheir Network Address Book so that the correct customization can bedisplayed. Additionally, further customizations could be added dependingon the current status of a user. For example, a user could opt to have adifferent picture, icon, tagline, note, comment, sound, video, or otherform of multimedia for each status setting. For example, if the user'sdevice is turned off, a picture of a personal sleeping is shown with atagline. Or, for example, if the user is on another call, a phone-typeicon appears. Or, for example, if the user is away and traveling, anairplane engine could play.

To minimize confusion and ensure a consistent experience, in anembodiment of the present invention, users are able to access all of thesame features through a similar presentation irrespective of the methodof access. Thus, for example, if it is decided that users connectedthrough the User Interface 170 are authorized to access and view others'presence information through the method shown in FIG. 2, then thismethod also may be used by those using devices, such as the Publisher110 or the Watcher 120, to access and view others' presence information.In an embodiment, a user may make the same customizations andpersonalization through the User Interface 170 that the user is able tomake through the device in the same manner as which it is done throughthe device. In an embodiment, one can limit the availability of certainfeatures to a particular access method, such as through a device or theUser Interface 170.

Different embodiments can also be implemented to ensure that thepresence information being broadcasted about a user is accurate andcurrent. In some embodiments, the Presence User Agent 150 or devices,such as the Publisher 110 and Watcher 120, are programmed toperiodically notify the Presence Server 133 that the user or device isstill online and/or capable of sending and/or receiving communications.If the Presence Server 133 does not receive such a timely update, thePresence Server 133 will presume that the user or device is unable tosend or receive communications and will automatically modify the statusof the user accordingly. In other embodiments the communications system,through the Presence Server 133 or another means, sends queries to theUser Interface 170 via the Presence User Agent 150, to the Presence UserAgent 150, or to a device to verify whether the user or device is stillcapable of readily sending or receiving communications. In yet otherembodiments the Presence Server 133, Presence User Agent 150, UserInterface 170, or other system monitors communications sent or receivedby a user or device to verify whether the user or device is stillreadily able to send or receive communications, updating the user'sstatus accordingly. Considering the cost of implementing each method andmanaging the additional traffic generated in providing frequent updatesof current presence status, if the periodic update method is used toverify presence information, then the periodic updates can be limited toperiodic intervals, e.g., five minute intervals. In order to minimizeunnecessary communication, short codes can also be sent if there are nochanges in presence information since the last update. Similarly, if thepresence information has changed, another a short code incorporating thechanges can also be sent. In addition to short codes, links to updatedmedia or information can also be transmitted. The user then has theoption to use the link to retrieve the actual updated information ormedia.

Different embodiments can also be implemented to offer privacyprotection to users who do not want their presence information to bewidely broadcasted. User can have the option, for example, of opting outof the presence information system altogether by not disclosing any typeof presence information. In other embodiments, users can be presentedwith the option of either disclosing or not disclosing presenceinformation to some or all of the individuals listed in their NetworkAddress Books, or of only disclosing limited presence information, suchas a tagline or photo but not the current presence status. To minimizeconfusion while ensuring ease of use and privacy, it is recommended thatall entities listed in a user's Network Address Book be permitted toaccess presence information of that user by default, unless the userspecifically indicates otherwise. In an embodiment, other individualswho are not listed in a user's Network Address Book are prohibited fromaccessing presence information of that user unless they subsequently aregiven permission by the user, such as by being added to the user'sNetwork Address Book. In the embodiment in FIG. 1, for example, if thePublisher 110 and Watcher 120 are both listed in each others NetworkAddress Book, then absent any changes by these users, they would be ableto see each others presence information by default without any specificintervention by each user.

In an embodiment, one may incorporate systems which can automaticallyupdate the availability of Presence Information about another user ifthat user switches devices, cancels service, or otherwise changes theaccuracy of the availability of presence information. For example, if auser upgrades to a device capable of interacting with the presencesystem and the new device information is registered with thecommunications system, the NAB Server 160 can be programmed toautomatically update the new availability of Presence Information aboutthis user in the Network Address Books of other users. Similarly, if auser decides to cancel service, the NAB Server 160 can be programmed toautomatically remove any presence information on this user in theNetwork Address Books of other users or a specific user.

Once the Presence Server 133 is provided with information included inthe user's Network Address Book, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2,the Presence Server 133 uses that information to ascertain presenceinformation about the individuals listed in the user's Network AddressBook. For example, in a cellular communications system, the PresenceServer 133 checks for presence information on other individuals listedin a Network Address Book based on the cellular telephone numbers foreach of those individuals. Once the Presence Server 133 has determinedwhat type of presence information is available for each of theindividuals listed in a user's Network Address Book, the Presence Server133 is able to send notifications to the user's device of the currentstatus of each of the individuals listed in the user's Network AddressBook. For example, the user could be notified through the PresenceServer 133 of whether each of the individuals listed in the NetworkAddress Book is “available”, “unavailable”, or whether the individual'sstatus is “unknown” because no presence information is available forthat specific individual.

In an embodiment, the Presence Server 133 accesses and retrievesinformation from the user's network address book is through a XDSM 140(XML Data Management Server) via XML Configuration Access Protocol(XCAP). The XDMS 140 can access the user's network address book storedin User Data Storage 190 through a XML Mapper 186.

In an embodiment, in order to measure the resource use and efficiency ofthe presence system, the usage and additional network traffic generatedin implementing and modifying the presence system are measured.Measuring quantities such as the amount of network traffic generatedover different networks in transmitting each attribute, update, andevent at the system level can provide insight into optimal resourceallocation. Measuring the number and volume of communications percommunication type, per user, per network, or per access method, such asthrough a device or User Interface 170, and the number of individualsthat each user receives presence information for would provide usefulinformation in this regard.

In an embodiment, to diagnose potential problems with the presencesystem, it is useful to have the capability of allowing supportpersonnel access to certain portions the system through existingprocesses such as single sign on, authentication, and user groups. Forexample, allowing support personnel access to determine whether a user'sdevice automatically registered with IMS after being turned on, when theuser's device last communicated with the Presence Server 133, or ifthere is any updated presence information pending for a user, are allexamples of useful information accessible to support personnel.Information that does not assist support personnel in diagnosingproblems with the presence system, such as viewing the contents of anyattributes or communication between users may be blocked or restricted.

Automated Message Delivery Protocol Selection

In an embodiment, the selection of different protocols by which a text,video, picture, or multimedia message is to be sent can be automated sothat the user does not have to pre-select a specific protocol inadvance. Both a Universal Message Composer interface and messagethreading can be used to streamline the message sending process from theinitial creation of the message to the final transmission of themessage. A Universal Message Composer allows a user to use a singleinterface for sending different types of messages containing differenttypes of content. The Universal Message Composer can also be adapted foruse in both immediate and session based messaging.

In immediate messaging, the message sender accepts a message to bedelivered immediately, in what is perceived to be real time. In sessionbased messaging, a communication association is established between twoor more users before actual communication takes place. Session basedmessaging may be considered a direct communication between two users,e.g., a “chat” feature.

In an embodiment, the Universal Message Composer can be adapted toprocess a message containing one or more different types of recognizedmedia, such as text, pictures, sounds, videos or other media. It ispossible, depending on how the interface is configured in differentembodiments, to send a message containing varying media types, such assome text, followed by a picture, then more text, followed by a video.The interface can also be configured to change depending on the mediatype selected by the user. For example, if the user inserts or selectstext, the interface could provide the user with the option of changingvarious aspects of the text, such as the font, size, and appearance; ifthe user inserts or selects a picture, the interface could change toprovide the user with other picture editing options such as resizing,enhancing, and cropping. Although a Universal Message Composer isdesirable, in that it eliminates the need for multiple, independentinterfaces, it is not required for the remainder of the invention towork.

FIG. 3 illustrates the different communications methods used by theEnhanced Messaging System once the user has finished composing a messageand the message is ready to be sent. The logic used by the User Devicefor selecting the most efficient message delivery means. Once themessage is ready to be sent, the User Device 310 first verifies that itis registered to IMS. If the User Device 310 is registered to IMS, thenthe message is sent to an Enhanced Messaging Server 330 using SIP,irrespective of the message contents. An Enhanced Messaging Server is asystem capable of at least sending and receiving messages through SIP,MMS, and SMS. If used for session based messaging, then the EnhancedMessaging Server is also capable of sending and receiving session basedmessages. If the User Device 310 is not registered or can not registerto IMS and the message contains only text, then the message will be sentby the device to the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 as a SMS, otherwisethe message will be sent by the User Device 310 to the EnhancedMessaging Server 330 as a MMS.

The logic used by the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 for selecting themost efficient message delivery means includes at least one of thefollowing elements: Once the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 receives amessage, it checks the message to see if the message is being sent to atleast one recipient registered to IMS. One way of verifying if arecipient is registered to IMS is by checking to see if the recipientsphone number is registered to IMS. If that particular recipient orrecipient's phone number is registered to IMS, the Enhanced MessagingServer 330 sends the message to the recipient using SIP, irrespective ofthe message contents. If that particular recipient is not registered toIMS and the message contains only text, then the message will be sent bythe Enhanced Messaging Server 330 to the recipient as a SMS, otherwisethe message will be sent by the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 to therecipient as a MMS. To facilitate communications being sent to multipleusers so that a message sender does not have to repeatedly enter thesame information, the Enhanced Messaging system could support groupcreation and management such that messages could be sent to a messagedelivery list and then distributed to multiple users through a MessagingServer 410 as shown in FIG. 4. The Messaging Server 410 can be includedas part of the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 or it can be a separateentity which receives and processes messages sent to a message deliverylist following the message distribution rules discussed herein. As shownin FIG. 4, the List Creator 440 uses IMS group management to create amessage delivery list registered with the Messaging Server 410.Depending on the properties selected by the List Creator 440, whenevercertain messages, such as messages from certain known recipients, aresent to the message delivery list, the Messaging Server 410 willautomatically forward those messages to specified users in accordancewith the properties selected by the List Creator 440.

Aside from a User Device 310, both session based and immediate messagescan also be sent and received through alternate means, such as the UserInterface 170, accessed through an External Device 320 depicted in FIG.3. Although the External Device 320 depiction is intended to show accessto the User Interface 170 through a computer indirectly connected to thecommunications system through the Internet, access to the User Interface170 can also occur through other means as long as there is adequateconnectivity between the user and the User Interface 170. Once a user isconnected to the communications system through the User Interface 170 onthe External Device 320, the user becomes registered to IMS and is ableto send and receive messages containing different types of media to andfrom the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 using SIP, with the option ofhaving alternate delivery methods, such as SMS or MMS, as a backup ifcommunication through SIP fails. The user can connect to thecommunications system and become registered to IMS either as anindependent entity or as an entity associated with the specific deviceor devices registered to the user. The User Interface 170 should alsoallow a user to engage in session based messaging, commonly referred toas a chat session, with other users. If other participants in chatsession are also registered to IMS, then the session based messagingshould occur through SIP. The User Interface 170 should allow the userto engage in ad hoc or predefined group chat sessions such if the useris unable to successfully initiate a chat session with either certain orall members of the group, the system will revert to sending an immediatemessage to those members.

Depending on the configuration of the system, the Enhanced MessagingServer 330 can be equipped with capability of detecting whether messagerecipients are registered to IMS even if they are associated withanother communications system or carrier. Additionally, the ExternalDevice 320, User Interface 170, User Device 310, and Enhanced MessagingServer 330 can be equipped with capability of detecting whether amessage delivery attempt via SIP was successful. If the message wasunable to be delivered by SIP, the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 andeach of these other devices and interfaces can be configured to resendthe message through another delivery method, such as SMS or MMS,depending on the answer received from the IMS infrastructure.

While MMS provides an adaptable framework for sending and receivingvarious types of media, SIP does not provide such a framework. Differentembodiments can be used in conjunction with SIP to compensate, ifnecessary, for this limitation of SIP to ensure proper compatibility andfunctionality. For example, rules can implemented restricting the typesof media that can be sent in messages through a User Device 310, UserInterface 170, External Device 320, and Enhanced Messaging Server 330.In another embodiment these rules can be adjustable depending on themedia capabilities of the message recipient. As another option, a UserDevice 310 can also be limited to displaying or playing only certaintypes of media. Rules can also be implemented setting forth the specificmedia types permitted in messages that the Enhance Messaging systemshould be capable of handling, such as 3GPP 26.140 and 3GPP 26.141. Amedia transcoding engine can also be used to assist in media adaptation.

Different methods can also be used to ensure that the Enhanced Messagingsystem runs efficiently and avoids unnecessary or unproductivecommunications. For example, the Enhanced Messaging system could beconfigured to only send a link, placeholder, or URI of part or all ofthe message content to the recipient, such that if the recipient reallywanted to view the contents, the recipient could download the multimediacontent from storage. This would be especially useful when sending largemultimedia files which can be resource intensive. The Enhanced Messagingsystem can also implement store and forward functionality, wheremessages are stored in a specific format such as MIME Multipart. Aspecific format, such as MIME/CPIM can also be specified for sessionbased messages. The system can also be provided with the option tofilter or block messages based on Specified Preferences, including butnot limited to, sender addresses, message content type (e.g. video,audio), message type, message content, and message subject, which canconfigured by a user or system administrator.

To provide the user with additional communications options, a preferredembodiment would support multiple communications methods, including bothimmediate messaging and session based messaging. In session basedmessaging, a user, using a device capable of two way communications,such as a cellular phone or a computer, sends a session invitation toanother user. If the second user accepts the invitation, two-waymessaging takes place after bearer and capabilities negotiations,similar to PC based instant messaging. To facilitate customer adoptionby making session based messaging easy to learn and use, it is preferredthat the Enhanced Messaging Server 330 support the sending ofinvitations to chat sessions so that the user receiving a new invitationto chat will receive the message in a manner similar to that of a newmail message notification. If the chat invitation could not be sent or atimely response was not received by the initiator, then the initiator'sdevice should revert to sending an immediate-type message to theinvitee(s). Similarly, user devices should also be equipped withsufficient internal storage to store a copy of the information exchangedduring session based messaging, not only for subsequent review by auser, but also to ensure that any session based message that was unableto be sent because another part went offline could be subsequently sentvia immediate messaging so the communication can be completed.

To facilitate interoperability and compatibility with othercommunication systems, all devices and systems supporting session basedmessaging should follow OMA Instant Messaging using SIMPLE v1.0 and mayalso follow 3GPP requirements as applicable, for example the 3GPP 2x.340specification series for IMS messaging. Another method of facilitatingwidespread interoperability and compatibility is by ensuring thatdevices participating in session based messaging are programmed toassess the capabilities of other devices participating in the messagingsession, including factors such as display capabilities, supported mediatypes (audio, video), supported media formats (JPEG, MP3), storagecapacity, and supported encryption/security mechanisms are all examplesof potential differences between devices that can impact the successfulexchange of communication in session based messaging. Having a user senda picture or video to another user through session based messaging in anunsupported format is not only an inefficient use of time and resources,but will also lead to user frustration and less customer adoption. Byassessing the capability of each device participating in the chatsession and notifying users of the lowest common supported feature setamong the devices, users can make an informed decision before the chatsession begins of how the session is to be conducted.

Group Creation and Management can also be used to facilitate sessionbased messaging between multiple users, so that multiple users canrepeatedly join and leave an ongoing chat session without necessarilyreceiving a specific invitation. FIG. 5 shows how Group Management canbe used in session based messaging—the Group Leader 550 can register asession based messaging or chat session with the Chat Server 510 throughIMS Group Management or a similar framework for managing groups. Oncethe Group Leader 550 registers a particular group with the chat session,the Group Leader 550 can create a list of the users or groups of userswho are either excluded from or permitted to join the chat. User canthen join the particular group registered by the Group Leader 550. TheChat Server 510 can also be programmed to notify the users identified bythe Group Leader 550 of the chat session at specified intervals or underspecified conditions. Group Creation and Management in both theimmediate and session based messaging contexts should be handled by thesame XDMS handling presence.

To facilitate the accounting and auditing of the enhanced messagingsystem's use, the system should be capable of collecting and correlatingdata from the IMS elements and the Enhanced Messaging system to specificusers. This data should include whether any users with portable devices,such as cellular phones, were roaming while they were using the EnhancedMessaging system as well as the extent, duration, and functionality ofthe Enhanced Messaging system used by the user. For example, informationsuch as the size and type of any media sent or received in eitherimmediate or session based messaging shows both the extent andfunctionality of the messaging system used, just as informationidentifying the number of messages sent or received by a user and thenumber of distinct users to whom a particular message was sent reflecton the extent to which the system is used.

The various computer systems described herein may each include a storagecomponent for storing machine-readable instructions for performing thevarious processes as described and illustrated. The storage componentmay be any type of machine readable medium (i.e., one capable of beingread by a machine) such as hard drive memory, flash memory, floppy diskmemory, optically-encoded memory (e.g., a compact disk, DVD-ROM, DVD+R,CD-ROM, CD+R, holographic disk), a thermomechanical memory (e.g.,scanning-probe-based data-storage), or any type of machine read able(computer readable) storing medium. Each computer system may alsoinclude addressable memory (e.g., random access memory, cache memory) tostore data and/or sets of instructions that may be included within, orbe generated by, the machine-readable instructions when they areexecuted by a processor on the respective platform. The methods andsystems described herein may also be implemented as machine-readableinstructions stored on or embodied in any of the above-described storagemechanisms.

Although the present invention has been described with reference toparticular examples and embodiments, it is understood that the presentinvention is not limited to those examples and embodiments. The presentinvention includes variations from the specific examples and embodimentsdescribed herein. Except to the extent necessary or inherent in theprocesses themselves, no particular order to steps or stages of methodsor processes described in this disclosure, including the figures isimplied. In many cases, the order of process steps may be varied withoutchanging the purpose, effect or import of the methods described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for dynamic updating of presenceinformation in a communications system, comprising: receiving updatedpresence information automatically by a presence server; determining atleast one subscriber of the received presence information by thepresence server; and at least one of: informing the at least onesubscriber about the received updated presence information, andobtaining the updated presence information about the at least onesubscriber from the presence server without requiring the entry ofadditional information, wherein the determining at least one subscriberincludes reviewing information in a network address book associated withthe received presence information; wherein the network address book isstored on a network address book server; and wherein the presence serverreceives pre-screened entities for which the presence information isascertainable and/or desirable.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: synchronizing the presence information by a first devicewith the network address book before communicating the presenceinformation to the presence server.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe synchronization occurs via SyncML Data Synchronization (SyncML DS).4. The method of claim 1, wherein the presence information istransmitted via Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the presence server accesses information in the networkaddress book using XML Configuration Access Protocol (XCAP) through XMLData Management Server (XDMS).
 6. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: registering to Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)by a first device before communicating the presence information to thepresence server.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenceinformation is provided by a first device and is updated on at least oneof: an immediate basis, periodic interval, intermittent interval, andmanual request.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenceinformation of the at least one subscriber is updated on at least oneof: an immediate basis, periodic interval, intermittent interval, andmanual request.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein a database of a firstdevice is updated on any changes to the presence information of the atleast one subscriber on at least one of: an immediate basis, periodicinterval, intermittent interval, and manual request.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the received updated presence information automaticallyis from a first device, wherein the first device is a mobile telephone.11. The method of claim 10, wherein the updated presence information isviewable via a second device associated with the same user as the firstdevice.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the updated presenceinformation is viewable via the Internet.
 13. The method of claim 1,wherein only the presence information of one entity is transmitted tothe network address book and the presence server.
 14. A system fordynamic communication of updating presence information in acommunications system, comprising: a presence server configured toreceive updated presence information of an entity; wherein the presenceserver automatically receives updated information based on extractedinformation from a network address book upon request by the presenceserver without requiring the entry of additional information, whereinthe presence server communicates via a synchronization protocol; whereinthe network address book is stored on a network address book server; andwherein the presence server receives pre-screened entities for which thepresence information is ascertainable and/or desirable.
 15. The systemof claim 14, wherein the presence server provides updated presenceinformation to any authorized entities, the extracted informationindicating which entities are authorized.
 16. The system of claim 14,wherein the updated presence information is viewable via a second devicehaving a same authorization to view presence information as a firstdevice.
 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the presence informationprovided by a first device is updated on at least one of: an immediatebasis, periodic interval, intermittent interval, and manual request. 18.The system of claim 14, wherein the presence information of at least onesubscriber is updated on at least one of: an immediate basis, periodicinterval, intermittent interval, and manual request.
 19. The system ofclaim 14, wherein a database of a first device is updated on any changesto the presence information of at least one subscriber on at least oneof: an immediate basis, periodic interval, intermittent interval, andmanual request.
 20. A system for dynamic communication of updatingpresence information in a communications system, comprising: a secondserver, the second server configured to extract information from anetwork address book and to automatically transmit updated informationbased on the extracted information upon request by the presence serverwithout requiring the entry of additional information, wherein thepresence information of the at least one subscriber is updated on anintermittent basis; wherein the network address book is stored on anetwork address book server; and wherein the presence server receivespre-screened information for which information is ascertainable and/ordesirable.
 21. A system for dynamic communication of updating presenceinformation in a communications system, comprising: a presence server;and a second server, the second server configured to extract informationfrom a network address book and to automatically transmit updatedinformation based on the extracted information upon request by thepresence server without requiring the entry of additional information;wherein the network address book is stored on a network address bookserver; and wherein the network address book server pre-screens thenetwork address book to transmit only information to the presence serverfor which presence information is ascertainable and/or desirable. 22.The method of claim 1, wherein the network address book monitors devicessuch that only the devices capable of transmitting presence informationto the presence serve are communicated with later.
 23. The method ofclaim 1, wherein a user interface is connected to a communicationssystem.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein a presence user agentinterfaces between the user interface and the presence server.
 25. Themethod of claim 24, wherein the presence user agent periodicallynotifies the presence server when the device is still online and/orcapable of sending and/or receiving communications.
 26. The system ofclaim 14, further comprising a communications device, the communicationsdevice configured to transmit updated presence information of an entityto a presence server.
 27. The system of claim 14, further comprising asecond server, the second server configured to extract information froma network address book and to automatically transmit the updatedinformation.